<figure class="image-550">
<img src="https://cdn.kahimyang.com/resources-28/jose-julian-de-aranguren.webp" alt="A formal oil portrait of Archbishop José Julián de Aranguren shown from the waist up. He has his right hand raised in a gesture of blessing and holds a black biretta in his left hand. He is dressed in a dark mozzetta with gold trim over a white lace rochet, wearing a pectoral cross and two star-shaped medals." loading="lazy" />
<figcaption>
Portrait of Msgr. José Julián de Aranguren (1801–1861), the 22nd Archbishop of Manila and the only member of the Augustinian Recollect order to hold that position. He is shown with the symbols of his office, including the mitre and crosier, and wears the Grand Cross of Isabella the Catholic. Historical records of this portrait specifically note that the prelate is wearing a false hairpiece to conceal his baldness.
</figcaption>
</figure>

<p>
His career is unique because he is the only member of the Augustinian Recollect order to have ever held the position of Archbishop of Manila. Aranguren is remembered as a man of great discipline and practical skill. He was described by those who knew him as hard-working and economical, qualities that helped him not only in leading the Church but also in founding major social and economic institutions that still exist in the Philippines today. His life represents a bridge between the spiritual mission of the Spanish friars and the practical requirements of building a nation, including the establishment of its first bank and the defense of the local clergy.   
</p>
<h2>
Navarrese Roots and Spanish Foundations
</h2>
<p>
José Julián de Aranguren was born on <time datetime="1801-02-16">February 16, 1801</time>, in Barasoain, a small town in the historical lands of the Basque Country in Navarra, Spain. He was the son of <b>Bernardo Aranguren</b>, who came from Cizur Mayor, and <b>Nicolasa Leoz</b>, who was from Sada. He grew up in a family with several siblings, including his sisters Juaquina Aranguren Rodriguez Hurtado and Maria Jesus Aranguren Huarte Mendicoa, and his brother Angel Maria Aranguren.   
</p>
<p>
The family was closely tied to the local church. His maternal grandfather, Jose Leoz, served as the town's church organist and was Aranguren's only godfather during his baptism on <time datetime="1801-02-17">February 17, 1801</time>. Later that same year, he was confirmed by Bishop Lorenzo Ygual de Soria, the bishop of Pamplona. These early years in Navarra provided him with a strong work ethic and a sense of religious reverence that would later define his time in the Philippines.   
</p>
<h3 class="my-h3">
University Education and Military Service
</h3>
<p>
When he was 17 years old, Aranguren left his home to study at the University of Zaragoza. His education was quite broad and covered subjects that were unusual for a future priest of that era. He studied philosophy, which included logic, metaphysics, and ethics, but he also took classes in science, such as physics, chemistry, and mathematics. From 1822 to 1824, he focused on Civil Law, an academic background that gave him a strong understanding of legal systems and administration.   
</p>
<p>
Before he decided to join the Church, Aranguren had a short career in the army. He served as a cavalryman, which helped develop his discipline and ability to lead. However, he soon decided to change his military path for a religious one. On <time datetime="1825-12-07">December 7, 1825</time>, he went to the College of Alfaro in La Rioja and began his journey with the Augustinian Recollects. This college was the first formation house owned by the Province of Saint Nicholas of Tolentine in Spain.   
</p>

<div class="table-wrapper">
  <table>
    <caption>Chronology of José Julián de Aranguren's Early Life and Religious Formation in Spain</caption>
    <thead>
      <tr>
        <th>Date</th>
        <th>Age</th>
        <th>Event</th>
        <th>Location</th>
      </tr>
    </thead>
    <tbody>
      <tr>
        <td>February 16, 1801</td>
        <td>0</td>
        <td>Born</td>
        <td>Barasoain, Navarra, Spain</td>
      </tr>
      <tr>
        <td>February 17, 1801</td>
        <td>0</td>
        <td>Baptized</td>
        <td>Barasoain, Navarra, Spain</td>
      </tr>
      <tr>
        <td>October 18, 1801</td>
        <td>0.7</td>
        <td>Confirmed</td>
        <td>Pamplona, Spain</td>
      </tr>
      <tr>
        <td>1818</td>
        <td>17</td>
        <td>Began University Studies</td>
        <td>Zaragoza, Spain</td>
      </tr>
      <tr>
        <td>1822 – 1824</td>
        <td>21–23</td>
        <td>Studied Civil Law</td>
        <td>Zaragoza, Spain</td>
      </tr>
      <tr>
        <td>1824</td>
        <td>23</td>
        <td>Enlisted in the Army</td>
        <td>Spain</td>
      </tr>
      <tr>
        <td>December 7, 1825</td>
        <td>24</td>
        <td>Joined Augustinian Recollects</td>
        <td>Alfaro, La Rioja</td>
      </tr>
      <tr>
        <td>December 8, 1826</td>
        <td>25</td>
        <td>Religious Profession</td>
        <td>Alfaro, La Rioja</td>
      </tr>
    </tbody>
  </table>
</div>

<p>
Aranguren completed his studies in Sacred Theology and became a professor, training younger men who wanted to join the order. He taught theology for about a year, but he felt a strong desire to do missionary work in foreign lands. This desire led him to accept a mission to the Philippines in early 1829.   
</p>

<h2>
Arrival in the Philippines and Initial Missionary Work
</h2>
<p>
Aranguren led a group of Spanish missionaries on a ship named the Preciosa. They left the port of Santander on May 30, 1829, and arrived in Manila on <time datetime="1829-10-02">October 2, 1829</time>. Upon reaching the islands, the young priest was first sent to the Recollect Convent of San Nicolas Friary in <a href="/articles/3008/the-history-of-intramuros-the-walled-city-manila" class="news_link">Intramuros</a>, where he taught theology to other members of the order.   
</p>
<p>
Despite his success as a teacher, Aranguren wanted to work directly with the people. In May 1831, he left the convent to study the Tagalog language. He lived with the parishioners in Taguig, Rizal, and in just three months, he gained enough skill in the language to begin his active missionary duties.   
</p>
<h3 class="my-h3">
Early Missions in Tarlac and Zambales
</h3>
<p>
His first assignment outside of Manila was in the province of Tarlac, where he began serving on August 10, 1831. He worked in the towns of Capas and Patling, which were difficult areas at the time due to their distance from the capital. His hard work in Capas left a long memory in the region. Today, the Village of Aranguren (<b>Barangay Aranguren</b>) in Capas, which became part of New Clark City in 2021, is named in his honor.   
</p>
<p>
After his time in Tarlac, he was sent to Zambales to restore a mission that had been without a priest for 50 years. On April 13, 1836, he became the parish priest of Masinloc. He found the town and its church in a very poor state because they had been neglected for half a century. For the next seven years, Aranguren worked to fix the physical buildings and rebuild the spiritual life of the community. During this time, he also started taking on administrative roles, such as serving as the provincial secretary in 1834 and the Vicar of Zambales in 1837.   
</p>


<h3 class="my-h3">
Cultural and Architectural Work in Bohol
</h3>
<p>
In 1837, Aranguren was moved to the province of Bohol, where he served as the parish priest of Baclayon. Baclayon is home to one of the oldest churches in the Philippines, made of coral stones. Aranguren put a lot of effort into beautifying and improving the La Purisima Concepcion de la Virgen Maria Parish Church. His interest in church improvement and beautification became a clear sign of his leadership style.   
</p>
<p>
His time in the Visayas also allowed him to support the publication of books in local languages. He was interested in using the printed word to teach the faith more effectively. This interest led to his later support for books like the <b>Ang Pangadyeon sa mga Bisayang Cristianos</b> (Prayer of the Visayan Christians) and La Teresa, a book about Boholano customs and Christian values.   
</p>

<div class="table-wrapper">
  <table>
    <caption>Overview of Aranguren's Missionary Assignments and Regional Impact in the Philippines</caption>
    <thead>
      <tr>
        <th>Mission Region</th>
        <th>Key Towns</th>
        <th>Role</th>
        <th>Impact</th>
      </tr>
    </thead>
    <tbody>
      <tr>
        <td>Manila</td>
        <td>Intramuros</td>
        <td>Professor</td>
        <td>Taught Theology at San Nicolas Friary</td>
      </tr>
      <tr>
        <td>Rizal</td>
        <td>Taguig</td>
        <td>Student</td>
        <td>Mastered Tagalog in three months</td>
      </tr>
      <tr>
        <td>Tarlac</td>
        <td>Capas, Patling</td>
        <td>Missionary</td>
        <td>Founded early Christian settlements</td>
      </tr>
      <tr>
        <td>Zambales</td>
        <td>Masinloc</td>
        <td>Parish Priest</td>
        <td>Restored mission after 50-year gap</td>
      </tr>
      <tr>
        <td>Bohol</td>
        <td>Baclayon</td>
        <td>Parish Priest</td>
        <td>Renovated coral stone church</td>
      </tr>
    </tbody>
  </table>
</div>

<h2>
Administrative Leadership and the "Modo de Administrar"
</h2>
<p>
Aranguren's legal and scientific background made him very good at organizing things. He moved up quickly in the leadership of the Augustinian Recollects. In 1843, his fellow friars elected him as the Prior Provincial of the Augustinian Recollects in the Philippines. This was a very high position that required him to oversee all the missions and parishes run by the order in the islands.   
</p>
<p>
One of his most important achievements as provincial was revising the <b>"Methods of Administration"</b> (Modo de Administrar) in 1844. This document gave clear rules on how the priests should run their parishes, how they should handle money, and how they should teach the people. It was a very successful project that helped the order become more disciplined and efficient in its work.   
</p>
<p>
During this period, Aranguren was also recognized for his "prudence, diplomatic skill, and patience". He had to deal with both the Spanish colonial government and the local people, and he was known for being fair and honest in his dealings.   
</p>
<h2>
Appointment as Archbishop of Manila
</h2>
<p>
In late 1845, Queen Isabel II of Spain chose Aranguren to become the 22nd Archbishop of Manila. This was a major event because it was rare for a member of the Recollects to reach such a high position. Pope Pius IX confirmed his appointment on <time datetime="1846-01-09">January 9, 1846</time>. Aranguren was ordained as a bishop on January 31, 1847, in the Augustinian Recollects Church in Intramuros. The Bishop of Cebu, Romualdo Jimeno Ballesteros, was the one who performed the ceremony.   
</p>

<p>
As archbishop, Aranguren was responsible for a huge area. At that time, the Philippines only had four main dioceses: Manila, Cebu, Nueva Cáceres, and Nueva Segovia. Manila was the most important of these, and Aranguren worked hard to visit as many parishes as he could. He conducted two large pastoral visits across the island of Luzon, traveling by land and sea to reach even the most remote mission stations.   
</p>
<h3 class="my-h3">
Socio-Economic Modernization and the Founding of BPI
</h3>
<p>
One of the most lasting things Aranguren did was help start the first bank in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. On <time datetime="1851-08-01">August 1, 1851</time>, he worked with famous businessmen like <b>Antonio de Ayala</b> to create the <a href="/kauswagan/articles/1057/today-in-philippine-history-april-6-1828-the-king-of-spain-issued-a-decree-establishing-a-public-bank-in-the-philippines" class="news_link">El Banco Español Filipina de Isabel II</a>. This bank is now known as the <b>Bank of the Philippine Islands</b> (BPI).   
</p>
<p>
Aranguren saw that the people needed credit and a stable economy to improve their lives. The bank issued the first Philippine currency, the Peso Fuerte, and provided loans to the national government. This was a major step in making the Philippines a more modern and organized society.   
</p>

<div class="table-wrapper">
  <table>
    <caption>Key Social and Administrative Foundations Established Under Aranguren's Leadership</caption>
    <thead>
      <tr>
        <th>Entity Founded</th>
        <th>Date</th>
        <th>Location</th>
        <th>Purpose</th>
      </tr>
    </thead>
    <tbody>
      <tr>
        <td>Banco Español-Filipino</td>
        <td>August 1, 1851</td>
        <td>Manila</td>
        <td>First bank and currency issuer</td>
      </tr>
      <tr>
        <td>Sisters of Charity</td>
        <td>1852 (Approved)</td>
        <td>Manila</td>
        <td>Health care and education</td>
      </tr>
      <tr>
        <td>Province of Isabela</td>
        <td>1856</td>
        <td>Northern Luzon</td>
        <td>New administrative province</td>
      </tr>
      <tr>
        <td>Barasoain Parish</td>
        <td>August 31, 1859</td>
        <td>Malolos, Bulacan</td>
        <td>Independent parish and church</td>
      </tr>
    </tbody>
  </table>
</div>

<h3 class="my-h3">
Healthcare and the Sisters of Charity
</h3>
<p>
Aranguren was also very concerned about the poor and the sick. He wanted to improve the hospitals and schools in the islands. To do this, he invited the Sisters of Charity (also called the Daughters of Charity) to come to the Philippines. He wanted them to take care of the sick in hospitals and teach young girls.   
</p>
<p>
Queen Isabel II approved his request in 1852, but the sisters did not actually arrive until 1862, which was just after Aranguren passed away. Even though he did not see them arrive, his work in planning and funding their mission was essential for their future success in the Philippines. He also supported the work of the Sisters of Charity in providing help during epidemics, such as cholera.   
</p>


Jose Julian de Aranguren and the Recollect Mission


Explore the life of José Julián de Aranguren through his formal portrait. Learn how he established the BPI, built stone bridges, and supported local priests.



José Julián de Aranguren: A History of the Augustinian Recollect Mission in the Philippines